Weekly Sweat Stats 8/6-8/19

     The past two weeks were filled with travel, relaxation, humidity and a lot of sweating.  I went on vacation for 8 days to Playa del Carmen with a good friend. It was much needed to relax my muscles and cross-train eat and drink. Training was all over the place, but I did what I could wanted to while on vacation.  We were constantly sweating from the heat and walked everywhere, so even if we were indulging a bit - it was sweating right back out. Or at least that's what I'd like to think.

One day, we ventured out on an excursion. Just a few more ways I kept active and moving...

 Repelled into a cenote...

 Ziplined through the Mayan Riviera jungle....

Snorkeled through a cave...

Both Jeff & I were signed up for the AFC Half Marathon, so we squeezed in a few shorter runs on days it wasn't too hot.  If you don't know about Mexico weather, it can be pretty warm!!! It was mid 80s-90s with 90% humidity.  We were already pretty well trained but wanted to keep our legs loose and moving.

    AFC turned out to be a mess for most people. It was 78 degrees at the start at 7am, and continued to get warmer and warmer.  I felt really good up til mile 7, where I choked on some water at an aide station and proceeded to throw up.  Luckily/unluckily it was all fluid and no food, so I had energy still but no liquids. Slowly, I sipped on water through the next few miles as I jogged along heavily. My friend Heather found me on the course and ran beside me, motivating me til the finish. I ran a personal worst, 23 minutes slower than my best time. Yikes.  But truly, this race was meant to just keep me moving throughout the summer. And whether it was after a long day at work or during humidity on vacation, I kept moving.

Weekly Sweat Stats 8/6-8/12

Monday: 50 minute (5 miles) on elliptical, core and strength training
Tuesday: 1300 m swim, track workout 5 x 800m repeats with a short warm up lap and cool down laps in between (equaling about 3.8 miles)
Wednesday: 21 mile ride, 2 mile run
Thursday: travel day, super sweaty dance off
Friday: nada
Saturday: 5.5 mile run
Sunday: 1000 m swim

Weekly Sweat Stats 8/13-8/19

Monday: excursion day!
Tuesday:  3 mile run, 50 minute on spin bike
Wednesday: 50 minutes on spin bike
Thursday: travel day
Friday: 3 miler
Saturday: rest & stretch
Sunday: AFC half marathon, 13.1 miles

We survived a hot race day!

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/23-7/29 and 7/30-8/5

    Well.... I haven't updated in a while because I was on vacation! And a relaxing, family-filled time it was.   So now I am back, for a few days that is. I leave this week for another vacation to Playa del Carmen. It is going to be amazing. But until then I need to get updated on this little blog here.

    Having the London Olympics on is extremely motivating. While I am training, I like to imagine that I run and swim as beautifully as those athletes. Two weeks until AFC Half Marathon and four and a half weeks until San Diego Triathlon Classic! I am not worried about the half marathon, but more worried about my first tri.   Eeeeeeeeeeek!

                                        How did you put up a fight in life this week?

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/23-7/29

Monday: 800 m swim
Tuesday:  5 mile run
Wednesday: 12 mile ride
Thursday: 4 mile run (pain in heel this day, so walked 2 miles after)
Friday: 50 minute elliptical & strength training
Saturday: 11 mile long run
Sunday:  stretch & core (off to vacation!!)

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/30-8/4
*was on vacation in Las Vegas with family this week, so workouts are all over the place*

Monday: 50 minutes on spin bike & 600 m swim
Tuesday: treadmill workout - 1/2 mile warm up, 6 x 800m sprints, 1/2 mile cool down
Wednesday: day off
Thursday: 3 miles treadmill, 3 miles elliptical,
Friday: drive home from Vegas
Saturday: 13.5 mile run
Sunday: 15 mile "small hill" ride & 500 m swim

And there you have it.  Compared to my friends' Ironman training schedules, this looks sort of wimpy. But my body is feeling better, with the cross-training, than it was with just running. I am only home a few days this week, so squeezing in some double workouts.  Off for a swim!

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/17-7/22

      This week had its ups and downs. Downs because of body fatigue but a lot of ups also!  No point in dwelling on the downs, summer break has begun and I have all the time in the world to rest, heal and clear my mind.  

     I spectated a triathlon for the first time this weekend at the Solana Beach Triathlon. I met a friend of mine in Del Mar and we ran a little over 2 miles to the swim start of the tri.  I was very interested to watch the athletes start, crowd control and the transitions from sport to sport.  There were athletes of all ages and shapes! I know I will be able to do this!  My first tri is Septemeber 8, so about 6 1/2 weeks away.  I have been running and swimming, but still really scared of road biking.  I can already do the 24.8 miles on a flat course, but up a steep hill (twice!), is going to be a challenge. Anywho - let's just say, watching this weekend was exciting, motivating and pushed me to get my gears going (pun intended).

   The earlier part of my week was strickened with leg cramps and some ankle pain again. I was so upset about it, that I almost sold my bib for AFC half marathon (which is in about a month). Instead, I took it easy for a few days, took a few baths, massaged legs and started taking potassium & magnesium supplements again.   By Thursday, I was feeling a lot better and went out for a pain-free run. I was thrilled!!  I think my cramping had a lot to do with little sleep and the swollen legs I was getting during the work day from standing around in a 98 degree classroom! blech. Friday was the last day of school, so now I can stand or sit down whenever I feel like. neener, neener, neener.

   The next few weeks, I am going on two vacations. There will be a lot of indoor workouts (treadmill = yuck!), but this upcoming week I am still home. So I am making sure to take full advantage of having my bicycle and a lap pool nearby.  As I approach the next few months of races, I will be reminding myself that it is about the accomplishment - not the best time or a personal record.  Bottom line...I want to finish.

Here's what I did last week:

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/17-7/22
 
Monday: spin bike & 500 yard swim
Tuesday: easy 4 miler (legs hurting)
Wednesday: 2 mile run & 1,012 yard swim - first 1,000 yard swim!
Thursday: 4 mile run
Friday: day off
Saturday: 8 mile easy run
Sunday: 2 mile run to the Solana Beach Tri and back = 4 mile run

Since triathlons are on the mind, I want to wish my friends Tammy, Missi, Ian, Aren, Ashley and Lauren the best of luck this weekend on their Half-Ironman and Ironman races at Vineman!!!!   They have been training for months and this Saturday is finally the big day. I can't wait to hear about their adventures.  Good luck to them!

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/9-7/15

I had an amazing week! San Diego had beautiful sunny days, I enjoyed live music every day this weekend, booked a vacation for next month and had a lot of good company. Shining sun and good laughs always make life better! 

Here's how I maintained my sanity this week...

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/9-7/15

Monday: Easy 5 miler
Tuesday: 800 yard swim, 5.5 mile hill run
Wednesday:  day off
Thursday: 13 miles on spin bike, 5 mile run
Friday: core & yoga video
Saturday: rest and relax
Sunday: 60 minutes on elliptical

Not too heavy on exercise this week, but I am just keeping moving right now until school gets out and then I can train all day long! 

I hope you are smiling tonight!

Weekly Sweat Stats 7/2-7/8

       What a wacky week of workouts! (I'm a little behind on my update..oopsy!)  I did a lot of cross training and it sure was FUN!    I ran, I swam and I hiked. And boy did I hike struggle through!

         I was invited to join a group that was hiking Mount San Gorgonio.  I knew that it was an all day hike, climbing to an elevation of about 11,000 ft but I had no idea how long and grueling it would be. We drove about 2 1/2 hours north of San Diego and spent the night in a cabin about 10 minutes from the trailhead. The goal was to start hiking by 6:30am because it was projected the hike would take up a total of 12 hours round trip. Yikes! First 2 miles were killer and we were already wondering what the heck we got ourselves into. We hiked up the woods, past beautiful views and practically scaled some Sahara Desert on the side of the mountain, totally 9.3 miles to the top. It took us 7 hours to reach the summit; with water, bathroom and snack breaks included.  To put into perspective how steep it was, the climb up was 7 hours but going down took about 4! Quite a difference!

Working my way up the side of the mountain, loooooong stretch toward the summit.

        When we reached the top, we felt #1) void of energy and #2) very proud.  

Fun fact:  The summit of Mt. San Gorgonio is the highest point in Southern California!

 

                          A beautiful clearing with about 2 miles left until we complete our trip

So.... it was quite an eventful week, here are my stats:

Week of 7/2-7/8

Monday: 10 mile bike ride, 880 yard swim

Tuesday: 6 mile run

Wednesday: day off (aka hang out with girlfriends and snack & indulge all day)

Thursday: 8 mile run

Friday: stretch & core

Saturday: 18.6 mile hike to the highest summit in So Cal

Sunday: rest & foam roll!!!

This week is already half over, I will be updating again soon. Now get out there and sweat!

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/25-7/1

So I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. But all the photos on my computer have!   I haven't been posting any new fabulous recipes because my iPhoto crashed and I lost all my photos. I don't want to upload anything new until I get a chance to bring it into the computer store. FINGERS CROSSED that everything gets retrieved. In the meantime, here is an update on my training and workouts.

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/25-7/1

Monday: 5 mile run & 880 yard swim
Tuesday: 5 mile tempo run
Wednesday: 10 mile ride - 14mph
Thursday: rest
Friday: 3 mile am run
Saturday: 8 mile easy run
Sunday: rest

In reflecting on my week of impatience and busy times, I leave you with this.  Whether its a bad run, a struggle with attaining a goal or a crazy week at your job... it will happen. Whatever it is that you seek, if you want it bad enough...it will happen.

off for a 5-6 mile run with hill repeats!  Hoping for a 4th of July bike ride and swim tomorrow morning!

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/18-6/24

         Well, it was a light week on the exercise front. My goals were 2 swim, 3 run and 2 bike. Didn't quite get there buuuuuuuut there's a reason.
          In my last post, I mentioned I went on a very relaxing mini-vacation with my best friend at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. We looked forward to the fresh & delicious food they have, poolside cocktails, and time to just hang out. The heat was a toasty 110 degrees and on the second day there, we were laying poolside and I had a bout of heat exhaustion and fainted. Long story short, the next few days were filled with a lot of water and really easy exercise.

It was hard to "take it easy" when I just wanted to get out there and train. But, I know its important to listen to your body& I was still feeling nauseous and pretty week for a few days.  I was so freaked out, that I went and got my vitals checked at the doctor also. All my levels came back healthy. I would say I am very in tune with my body, so when that happened I was just a little shaken up and wanted to double check everything.

I just did a lot of short and light running to keep stamina up, but stayed off the bike and out of the pool. No biggie! Instead of stressing about missing workouts, I knew I'd be able to get back to it soon enough. Important to take care of my health in order to be healthy!

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/18-6/24

Monday: 2 mile warm up on treadmill, 6 mile stationary bike
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 3 mile run
Thursday: 2 mile run
Friday: 3 mile run
Saturday: 6.2 mile run (10 k time trial at a 9:11 pace)
Sunday: rest

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/11-6/17

What a week! Things are slowing down just a teeny bit at work, stress level is decreasing, went for my first swim in about 8 years and met ultramarathoner, Scott Jurek! 

Warning: long post ahead

I finally ordered a swimsuit to use for tri training and just had to wait for it to arrive so I could test it out in the water! I made the decision to try and get in a few swims during the week, along with at least one bike ride and some running.   Mission: Accomplished.   

Monday morning my calves were really sore so I decided to walk that day just to keep loose. 

Tuesday was a group run with the VAVi AFC training group.  Remember, I registered for America's Finest City Half Marathon in August so I need to get back to training. It's funny, because I sure complained about wanting a break from running and here I am. It's so addicting!!! I was hesitant to sign up again for a training group because of $$ but am glad I did, I need the motivation! We met down near the bay and had the option of running 4-6 miles. My good friend Megan also signed up so we ran 5 miles together!  She lives a little farther away so I am excited that this will be our time to catch up on each other's lives. 

                                           

Wednesday I got stuck at work late and hoped my new swimsuit was waiting on the doorstep. It wasn't.  So I cleaned house, watched my favorite show (So You Think You Can Dance) and went to bed.  

Thursday.... the swimsuit arrived!!!  I got home from a meeting and the pool was closed 5-6pm for lane changes & cleaning.  I hopped on my bike for a ride around my neighborhood. I worked on stopping at intersections and going up and down some small inclines.  Then I got home, changed into the NEW and fabulously comfy swimsuit and excitedly nervously headed off to the pool.   I got there not even sure what to expect.  I had a swim cap, some goggles and myself. Here I gooooooooo... I tiptoed out the pool and to my relief, there was no one else swimming laps! But then I was proud afraid to show off my dusty swimming moves to the lifeguard. (Note: I have not been in a lap pool for about 8 years and even then, I didn't really swim laps)  With a stop for breathing almost every lap, I ended up swimming 30 laps. I was stoked when I finished because I knew the pool was that a lap was 22 yards, what I didn't know was that a lap is only one way across!!! Another clue that I don't know much about lap swimming.  I told myself I wanted to get to 300 yards and stopped when I thought I reached 15 "laps." Then I found out the truth and that I had swam 30 laps and 660 yards. Woohoo, I was starving a made a big ol' pizza when I got home. 

 Proscuitto, asparagus, spinach & some goat cheese hiding under there too... mmmmm

Friday was a mini workout and a happy hour turned dinner & lots of catching up with my best bud after work.  She & I have been wanting to check out Starlite, down in Little Italy, and Friday was the perfect time to do it. The mules are to die for and the food was incredible (I had two meals...yikes!)

I was really excited about Saturday's run because I found out that Scott Jurek, ultramarathoner, was coming to San Diego to promote his new book Eat and Run.  The plan was that he was going to lead a run from a running store in PB, give a talk about his journey ultramarathoning and then have a book signing. When I decided to come to this event, I did not realize we were running a 10 k straight up and down Mt. Soledad.  If you don't know Mt. Soledad, well it's a hill. Hills are not my strength, especially when we turn out of a parking lot and immediately begin to climb. Two minutes into the run, I wanted to saw off my calves. I sucked it up and ran with behind Scott as he moved from group to group, chatting with different runners. He was all about hearing people's stories and not necessarily talking about himsefl. We reached the summit of Mt. Soledad, took a few pictures and headed back down. His book is a mesh of his running journey and about being vegan. All in all, super nice guy & completely inspirational!

Getting my book signed & chatting for a few minutes

At one point, I didn't think I'd make it to the top... I did.

Looking out toward La Jolla from Mt. Soledad

After the run, I went to meet my friend Ashley to test out my new borrowed wetsuit & do my first open water swim (OWS) in the bay.  She showed me how to put the wetsuit on, where to apply body glide to avoid chafing and gave me a little pep talk about the bay water.  But, I didn't test the zipper out and it was stuck from some salt that had dried on there. The wetsuit is soaking as we speak, I know that salt will come off!!  I ended up back at the pool and swam 880 yards/ 40 laps and came home wanting to pass out. I got a little too much sun during my swim, but worked on my goal of at least 2 laps without stopping for lots of breathing. 

Sunday, I took off for a relaxing two days in Palm Springs and that was that.  Swimming, cocktails, a lot of water, some gym time and fun with my best bud. 

After all that blabbering on, here's the wrap-up.

Week of 6/11-6/17

Monday: 4 mile power walk

Tuesday: 5 mile run

Wednesday: rest

Thursday: 10 mile bike, 660 yard swim

Friday: rest

Saturday: 6 mile hill run, 880 yard swim

Sunday: relax on vacation

I am already in love with swimming. Goals for the week: 3 runs, 2 swims, 2 bike.

Weekly Sweat Stats 6/4-6/10

     I have so much to report this week!!  Signed up for some new activites and did my first few runs in my minimalist shoes.
  
    As I have mentioned before, I have been struggling finding my motivation lately. Work is nuts and I just can't seem to find enough hours in the day to take care of my classroom, my home and my body.  I've been so down on not having time to squeeze "me" time into my days.  Needless to say, I have been wearing my cranky panties for a few weeks now because the lack of exercise. I am in charge and need to quit complaining, and so something about it.  With what I am going to tell you next, you might think I am stretching myself thinner... but what I am doing is actually committing to keeping my life balanced!



 National Running Day is June 6th and in honor of that, I am proud to announce that I am registered for three new races!

America's Finest City Half Marathon - August 19th

San Diego Triathlon Classic - September 8th

Santa Barbara International Marathon - November 10th

It all started on June 1st and a few days later, I was signed up for 3 races and my checking account had significantly depleted.

Last year, I watched a friend of mine run the Santa Barbara Marathon and what a fabulous experience! After watching him, I knew I wanted to run SB in 2012. I committed to it June 1st. But then I heard more and more friends talking about AFC and getting pumped about training this summer. I ran AFC in 2010, it was my 3rd half marathon back then and it is a great course.   I bit the bullet and signed up!  THEN I felt super motivated and decided to do the San Diego Tri Classic in September. THIS IS MY FIRST TRI!!!!!!  wait, let's have that sink in. I am going to train for a triathlon???? I have been thinking & talking about it for a while, but was so nervous! I felt amazing and inspired after I signed up, and now I am pretty much freaking out.  I am going to swim for my first time in about 7 years this week, I'll let you know how that goes.

here's a rundown on this past week's workouts..

Week of 6/4-6/10

Monday: rest
Tuesday: 5 mile run (2 mi in minimalists, shoe change for 3 more mi)
Wednesday: 18 mile bike ride up the coast
Thursday: yoga video
Friday: core workout
Saturday: 6 mile run
Sunday:  3.5 mile run (in minimalists)

Not the most active, but more active than some people. Again, its up to me to make the changes. It's crazy how each workout can feel so different. All my runs this week felt like the world's longest 5, 6 and 3 mile runs... but Tuesday was sub 9s, Saturday was a 9:50ish pace and Sunday was 9:10s! No idea but I am working my way back in so I can go full speed ahead soon. Remember, I am trying to really take care of my legs??  I am hoping the new cross training (swim, bike & run) will help keep me healthy and a little leaner??????

Hoping to swim, run and bike a few times this week. I hope I don't need any floaties at the pool!
And if I am feeling like my head is going to explode, I will remind myself of this....

Portland Half Marathon

About a year ago, a group of running buddies and I signed up for the Inaugural Rock n Roll Portland Half Marathon.  One of our friends had just moved to Portland, the race fee was around 50 bucks and we decided it would be a fun adventure. Turns out that it was, and the 13.1 run was just a smidgen of what we did.

We arrived at the airport Friday morning, bloody marys in hand and we were already singing ridiculous Muppet songs.  When we landed in Portland, I could see it was already a gorgeous city.

First view of the city from the MAX (train ride from airport to downtown)

Friday we checked into the hotel, walked around town and found some good spots for small bites & drinks. Then we headed to an insane 80's party at a place called Lola's Room. The joint was a huge old ballroom with a spring loaded floor, creating the best 80's dance moves!

On Saturday, the girls and I slept in and then went for a short 2 mile run. I always like to do a short walk or run the day before a race to keep loose & stretch.  After that, we found some yummy coffee and headed to the Portland Saturday Market.  We met up with the boys and enjoyed a lovely afternoon on the riverfront. The Saturday Market was sort of like a street fair, booths of random items and little food stands. Live music. Kids laughing. Sun shining.

 An eclectic collection.

 The girls enjoying a fresh strawberry lemonade & the warm sun

         Saturday evening, we rested and grabbed an early dinner. Everyone was back at their hotel by 7, watching basketball and reading. We had a race the next morning, although it didn't start until 8! Meaning we got to sleep in later than I think we ever have on a race day.  Super bonus! 

         Race morning, the whole group met up at the bag check area. Some of us planning on taking the race slow and a few wanting to run quite quickly. The weather seemed perfect, overcast and a light drizzle. 

        Let me say, going into the race, I had no goals for time but still hoped to have an enjoyable run. I had been battling allergies, tight chest and a cough since a few days before we left for Portland. Sunday morning I felt fine and Dave, Pat & I set out for a 2:10 goal including a lot of stops for pictures and chatting. It was a beautiful course and we were having a blast looking at the old houses and cool shops we ran past. Around mile 8, my chest got really tight and I was having a hard time breathing. I kept insisting the boys run ahead but they refused to go on without me.  Around mile 12.5 (ugh!), I finally stopped at an ambulance and was able to get some of the inhaler medicine I have at home. Thing is, I haven't used my inhaler in years and have never stopped at an aide station at a race. After a few puffs of medicine, my chest released and we zipped off to the finish line. Oh well, we did it...in the rain..while singing Muppet songs.

 Mile 8 or so, when the rain really started coming down

 Finish line foil wraps! 

We found an awesome breakfast place for celebration drinks and fuel after the run - The Original, a Dinerant (are dinerants the new thing?).

 My favorite post-workout meal - Tomato Soup. 

 Fancy mimosas & beef jerky bloody marys

           We all took afternoon naps, then off we went to the famous Powell's books.  I went to straight to the children's book section and found some "northwest" inspired stories for my classroom.         Then we enjoyed some pizza, beer and a night full of laughs.

  Deschutes beer sampler

The whole crew

         Our final day was spent groggily searching for a breakfast/lunch spot. It was pouring rain as we walked aimlessly from restaurant to restaurant looking for a place that 1) served breakfast and 2) could accomodate a group of ten.  In the end, we landed at a diner and ate lunch. Dessert was a visit to Voodoo donuts. Every donut is its own experience - some filled with different jellies, topped with crazy cereals and some even with bacon on top!

The "No-Name" - raised donut with chocolate frosting, rice krispies & peanut butter drizzle.

       We finished up our donuts at Stumptown Coffee, changed into dry clothes and off to the airport. After a few plane delays, we landed in San Diego late Monday evening and I dragged myself into bed almost dreading going back to work the next day.  It was a great trip, but I was exhausted. Don't you sometimes feel like you need a vacation from vacation?

 

Until next time, Portland!

Weekly Sweat Stats 5/14-5/27

I realized I haven't updated my workouts in the past two weeks, maybe it's because I haven't really been working out.  I had a taper week pre-Portland half marathon and then a lazy week after. oops.  Back in the saddle this morning, literally... I rode ~20 miles.   I was just burnt out the past few weeks, sometimes we need a break - mental & physical. Can't beat ourselves up about it (although, I still kind of am)

Here's a look at the past two weeks:

Week of 5/14-5/20

Monday: stretch & yoga
Tuesday: 6 mile taper run
Wednesday: 4 mile taper run
Thursday: yoga
Friday: rest day
Saturday: 2.5 mile pre-race jog
Sunday: 13.1 run, Rock n Roll Portland Half Marathon

Week of 5/21-5/27 

Monday: Walk 5,000 miles around Portland
Tuesday: 4 mile run
Wednesday: laziness
Thursday: 30 minute elliptical & light weights
Friday: eat cheese & charcuterie
Saturday: sew & be lazy
Sunday: read & eat BBQed grilled cheese

Yea, so I guess this week was more about resting my brain & muscles and recovering from a disgusting cough & wheezing. Our bodies need it sometimes, now I am energized and so excited to go back and do some kickboxing, try some swimming, more time for biking and some short runs just to keep up a base.  

Weekly Sweat Stats 5/7 - 5/13

This past week was full of fun with friends but craziness at work.  Potlucks, BBQs, birthdays and Mother's day are all such great occasions, but not having downtime makes me a teeny bit grumpy. I ate a lot of good food, but maybe a little too much of it! I spent later hours at work, so I had to squeeze in morning workouts too.  Let's just say I had a meltdown yesterday.

I was excited for some solid running but my knees decided to get achey and my legs even more heavy. In all honesty, I can't wait for this upcoming race to be over so I can give my running legs a "break." I know I will get through this race, but I've never felt like I wasn't going to do well. Maybe resting this week will be good recovery for Sunday.

Tired legs, busy work days and less eating at home has got me in a funk. I feel more stressed, less strong and I shouldn't. Working on re-balancing things and reminding myself to filter out the extra bugs. 

Week of 5/7-5/13

Monday - Hot Yoga
Tuesday - rest & time with friends
Wednesday - 4 mile run
Thursday - Hot Yoga
Friday - 3 mile run in the morning
Saturday - 8 mile run
Sunday - rest

This upcoming week is my taper week for the Portland Half Marathon, so I have a few short & easy runs planned. Today was a disaster at work and I got home late and just wanted to crawl into bed. I did some core work this morning and was drained from the rough day when I got home, so I just gave myself the night off from exercise & stretched instead.  Healthy meals planned for the week and lots of sleep.  Ready for less pressure on the running and more time for other exercise.

I need a change NOW and it's entirely up to me!

Weekly Sweat Stats 4/30-5/6

This past week I did some nice long runs and my first bike workout, but not as much exercise as I had hoped. I started back at work this week after being on spring vacation for a month. The students were wild and I was exhausted every day. I fit in what I could and what I felt my body could handle. 

Luckily, my friend Missi invited me to come to a bike workout on Wednesday with the San Diego Tri Club. It would be my 2nd time on my bike but I knew it would be a good chance to get out there.  The workout was a 20k time trial, 3 big loops around Fiesta Island (about 12 miles).  I have no idea what my time was because I forgot to start my watch and then I did about a mile in and then forgot to turn it off when I was done.   Who cares about time though, I was just happy to get out there... I learned a few things about my gears and that I need to raise my seat a bit a lot.

Here's a look at what I was able to fit in this week:

Monday: 10 mile run
Tuesday: rest day
Wednesday: 12 mile/20 k bike ride, 2 mile run
Thursday: 20 minute workout video, 1 hour Tap class
Friday: 6.5 mile run
Saturday: Hot yoga
Sunday: 12 mile run

Being back at work this week took some adjusting for my body. I was sore, achey and a scratchy throat. It may have been weather, being around 20 eight year olds again or just getting used to thing again.

I am excited to get more familiar with my bike! Rock 'n' Roll Portland Half Marathon is in less than two weeks. I have a feeling it is going to be a slow race for me. Maybe my slowest, but sometimes I just need to remember that getting out there is the biggest challenge. Shoot... three years ago I didn't even enjoy running a mile - now it's a serious part of my life. We need to give ourselves credit for the things we do, and not always worry about it as a competition with others or even ourselves.


Had a really delicious dinner tonight - more to come on that later - now time for sleep before double workout tomorrow.  Pat yourself on the back tonight for something you did today to improve your health!

Weekly Sweat Stats 4/23-4/29

My friend Tammy recaps her workouts on Mondays and it is always so motivating. A few weeks back, she challenged friends and her followers to also post their weekly workouts.  There is something about making it public that holds you accountable.  So I am going to join her in Monday recaps from the previous week's workouts, I hope I can remember to post Mondays!

This past week was my last week of a month long vacation from work.  I teach at a year-round school, so we have month breaks instead of only a few weeks.  Aside from eating healthy, I wanted to get in as much exercise and variety as I could. 

Ooooh, something super exciting happened this week.... I finally bought a bike helmet so I was able to take my new road bike out for its first ride! Also, I have a half marathon in three weeks, not sure how my legs will decide to work that weekend but I am very excited to travel to Portland and see another new city! 

Here are my sweat stats for the past week:

Week of 4/23-4/29

Monday: day off
Tuesday: 6.5 mile run
Wednesday: 8 mile trail run, Hot Yoga
Thursday: 1 hour walk
Friday:  10 mile bike ride (my first one ever!!)
Saturday: 6 mile hilly run
Sunday:  2.5 mile run, Hot Yoga

Pretty good, my legs are finally coming back to me but the running is still so heavy. I've been frustrated with how slow my runs have been lately. It sounds weird, but if I push a little and speed up...it gets easier. Maybe I need to try more of that??  Exercise, some nice evenings with friends & good meals helped me feel "myself" again.

Excited for the fun week ahead...Padres game with friends, bike workout, tap class, oh and some running in there too.   Back to work tomorrow after no school for a month!! I can't wait to see my kiddos!

No More Excuses

So this week started off with a major lack of exercise, three days of pure laziness. Lots of tiredness and excuses. I know sometimes we need a break, but I am quite disappointed with some of the unhealthy choices I've made in the past few days. So instead of dwelling on that, I thought I would reflect back on the past two week's workouts.  Are you checking in on your workouts, too?  Last week, I filled my fridge with fresh groceries so I have been eating healthy (with some easter candy here and there) and have seen changes in the last month or so... but, I still feel like I could do more if I really want to see a change in my running, body & energy level.

Last Week's Workouts:
Sunday - day off
Monday - 5 mile run & Body Attack class at 24 hour (1 hour of crazy cardio)
Tuesday - 1 hour Hot Fusion Yoga
Wednesday - 3 mile run & 1 hour Yoga
Thursday -  1 hour Power Yoga
Friday - 5 mile run
Saturday - 1 hour Hot Fusion Yoga
  *I did a smokin' job last week, but could definitely do more.

This Week's Workouts:
Sunday - day off
Monday - stayed out too late Sunday night
Tuesday - still recovering from Sunday (yikes!)
Wednesday - 5 mile run & 1 hour Heated Yoga

Goals for the rest of the week:
Thursday - short run & Yoga
Friday - possible long run
Saturday - short run & Hot Yoga
Sunday - attempt to ride my new road bike, so it isn't just a decoration in my living room

I'll report back and see how I do the rest of the week. I am still working on getting my running mileage back up, its taking a while but I am doing my best to avoid injury again. My girlfriends and I are heading out of town next week so it's time to continue serious pre-vacation sweating! 

How's your fitness? Are you fueling your body correctly?

Challenge yourself to do one extra day of exercise, 20 more minutes, go an extra mile or try a new fitness class.

I need to quit the excuses and do more!

Pure Barre

 So back in June I bought a Groupon for 5 classes at Pure Barre Hillcrest. FINALLY, I have a chance to go use those classes. I am dealing with a little leg injury from running and had decided to take the week off from my half marathon training.   Break from running and winter break = time to try new fitness classes. I know lately I have been slacking on my workouts and my body is recovering slower from runs, but Pure Barre killed me today!  2 minutes into the class my arms and legs were shaking.  It started with a quick marching and warm-up and I was definitely warm! We focused on different parts of the body for 6-8 minutes and then would move on to the next body part. The class was quick moving, so my heart rate was up (bonus points!). We used lightweights, the ballet barre, resistance bands, a small squeezy ball and our own core muscles. Each tool was used to make sure your core muscles were the only thing working to move your body.  Each squeeze from my glutes or abs would create motion in my other muscles. Feel the burn! I made it through the 55 minute class with compliments from the instructor and of course loved the great workout. I am dying to figure out how I can afford continuing after my 5 classes are up!

 

Here is a picture from their website, to give you an idea of some "tuck-and-squeeze" exercises we did

I wonder if I will be able to make it back tomorrow? I did go on a long walk this afternoon to keep muscles warm. It would be a nice way to squeeze in a few more workouts before Christmas!

A Perfect Saturday

Yesterday was a little slice of happiness!  I went on a run in the morning with my old running group and ran 8.5 miles... It felt so good considering I haven't ran more than 5 miles since my marathon a month and a half ago.  After my run, I cruised over to Target and Walmart and scored some amazing printed turtlenecks for a Holiday party I am co-hosting next weekend.  A nice, leisurely grocery trip through Sprouts and home to beginning a fun day in the kitchen!

I started off with a little tortilla soup for lunch, minus the tortillas.
Here is what I threw together

Mexican Soup:
Chicken broth
A splash of leftover tomato soup
2 mini jalapenos from garden, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1/2 can black beans
1/2 avocado, chopped
About 1 cup of leftover corn kernels
A heavy sprinkle of chili powder & cumin
Fresh ground pepper

After it simmered for a while, I used my immersion blender  because I like my soups on the "creamier" side. A perfect recovery lunch!

Next, I prepped Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese to bring over to a friend's house before we headed to Balboa Park's December Nights.

                               here is the start of them... I forgot to take a picture of the final product

Once that was done, I started on my 3rd attempt at making Kale Chips. My friend Tammy, who has an awesome blog iEatNeat, talked about Kale a few times this summer/spring when we were running together. I asked her over and over what she did with this Kale stuff. It sounded scary to me. So she told me about Kale Chips... I figured "Sounds easy enough!" I browsed a few recipes online and then gave it a whirl. My first two attempts a few weeks ago gave me delicious results BUT then a few hours later, they would be soggy instead of crispy. I even let them cool all the way!  So I have been determined to get it right.   Yesterday, I did.

Kale Chips:
1 head of fresh kale, leaves torn off stems into big chunks
2 tsp olive oil (I used a Tbsp or so the last few times, I think that is what left them soggy)
Sprinkles of nutritional yeast (also recommended by Tammy)
Fresh sea salt
Bake for 17-20 minutes at 275 degrees.   Be sure to keep your eye on them because they can burn quickly!
YUM!

Then I took on my 3rd project for the day, Peanut Butter Caramel Corn.  I thought I'd also bring something sweet to December Nights.  All I can say is that I think I found a new holiday treat I can make for gifts. It is incredible!

 

I got to use my dutch oven for the second time this week!

 

I absolutely loved being in my tiny kitchen all day, just trying out new recipes. What a blast!!! And to finish off my Saturday, I headed to December Nights with close friends and family for some holiday cheer!